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Fluted silver bowl from the Mildenhall treasure

Roman Britain, 4th century ADFound in Mildenhall, Suffolk

Large bowls of this type were evidently intended to hold water for washing hands at table.

The chased leaf patterns on the flat panels closely resemble the pattern on three of the spoons also in the Mildenhall treasure. The centre of the bowl has geometric decoration in the form of an interwoven six-pointed star. This motif, like other geometric and floral designs, was often used decoratively in the Roman period, but it had no connection with Judaism. The formal adoption of the Star of David as a Jewish symbol took place only after the medieval period.